Above: Aerial view of the 13th looking back down the fairway from the green
It is the final day of my tour and I am standing on the 1st tee at Meloneras Golf with the hazy afternoon sun slightly obscuring the mountain backdrop. The course design by Ron Kirby looks like a more traditional design, with fairways running side-by-side with rough and palm trees between each hole.
Played from an elevated tee to a fairway that has a fairway bunker on the right just in the landing zone, there is also a drainage ditch that you need to carry and then you play to quite a small green, so par here is a good start.
Left to right: 7th, 10th and 14th holes
The first of the par 3s arrives at the 3rd and it certainly is a group photo moment, with water to carry and the stone wall protecting the front of the green. It is all carry from the back tees and, as I have just discovered, a slight wind and your ball will be joining many hundreds of golf balls to take an early bath. The good news is you can slightly bail out from some of the other teeing options.
There are three par 3s on this nine, the 5th has more water in front protecting the green, but at only 116 yards, doesn’t really come into play. And the 163 yards 7th hole. All well-designed par 3s.
The back nine sees a change in feel as you arrive at the 339 yard, 10th, with its backdrop of the sea and the yellow and pink coloured houses. But it’s the dogleg left 11th where the dark rock and waste areas start to feature and now, with the ocean backdrop, it feels like I’m playing a different golf course.
The 12th sees you playing straight out to sea to what looks like an infinity green, which is protected by a bunker at the front. And at 199 yards, it’s tough enough without the wind blowing. I can only imagine the carnage this hole could do to a scorecard. On reaching the green, you then realise you are playing on top of the cliffs that run along the beach below.
Above: Looking back down the 9th hole
The 13th takes you towards the Pasito Blanco marina and La Punta Yacht Club, which you can see below. The 14th is played over a ravine and there is no bailout area, so pick your teeing option here carefully. You also have another ravine to carry at the 14th again with no bailout area and, sandwiched in between, is another wonderful par 3 again played over a barranca. The news is that there are bailout areas from the forward tees.
Above: Infinity green at the tough par 3, 12th hole
Walking off the 18th green, I have to say the back nine elevates the course. While the front nine is well designed and has some wonderful golf holes, it is the back nine and playing along those cliffs that is going to live long in the memory for many golfers. Above: The par 3, 15th hole and yet another wonderfully design short hole at Meloneras Golf
